We suffered a great loss this week with the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But her legacy lives on in us. And it’s our turn to commit to fighting until the end, especially when it counts.
And it counts right now. 45 has shown us exactly what he’s gonna do. He’s gonna lie and cheat and refuse to leave office. All of it will likely result in a struggle in the streets and the courts that is unprecedented.
We cannot know what will happen, but we can be pro-active and prepare. Politics is an everyday practice of taking care of ourselves and one another. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Kerri (she/her)
The Election That Could Break America. If the vote is close, Donald Trump could easily throw the election into chaos and subvert the result. Who will stop him? [click to tweet]
“I understand the temptation to feel that what is wrong now will be wrong forever. But anguish and hope can coexist.” Rebecca Solnit on what’s possible. [click to tweet]
Marginalized communities haven't felt safe since long before 2016, and have known that the state will not save them. So why bother voting in a system that has never cared about them in the first place? This is why. [click to tweet]
The world is on fire. Charles Eisenstein on how to heal the planet by seeing, conceiving and relating to nature as a way of understanding ourselves: who we are and why we are here. [click to tweet]
Racial justice and structural reform are not two. Why 30 Black- and brown-led organizations are coming together to demand bold democracy reform. [click to tweet]
One of the most important reads of the week is “The Election that Could Break America”, a sobering depiction of what is likely to come with this election. With the stakes being as high as they are, voter suppression already more rampant than ever, the nationalist right emboldened by conspiracy theorists and the President himself, it’s all hands on deck to ensure people are able to vote freely and safely. Unlike traditional poll watchers, Election Defenders will be working to provide safe supports for voting (such as PPE and water), election & voter defense, de-escalating right-wing intimidation tactics, and signalling to a network of groups and lawyers if and where trouble breaks out. CTZNWELL is part of a united front effort with hundreds of other mass-member organizations to ensure free and fair elections. How can you help? By becoming an Election Defender. Sign up to be an Election Defender here.
Join us THIS THURSDAY for our weekly votewell community call as we’ll be breaking down election defense and community care for the next 41 days and beyond.
The passing of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves a gaping hole on the Supreme Court. RBG’s dying wish was that her seat not be filled until we have a new president. Mitch McConnell (surprising no one) announced his intention to push through a new Justice nomination during this term. Is this possible? Technically, yes. But it would be at an unprecedented pace as nominations generally take around 70 days to move through the Senate. Republicans could also vote on Trump’s nominee after the election during a lame duck session. Here’s what comes next:
POTUS nominates a candidate which is sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.
The Senate Judiciary Committee investigates and holds a hearing on the nominee. During the hearing, witnesses (for and against) present their views and the nominee is questioned by Senators.
The Judiciary Committee then votes on the nomination and sends its recommendation to the full Senate.
The full Senate debates the nomination until there is a cloture vote (51 votes to end the debate).
When the debate ends the Senate votes on the nomination. Right now, Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate. This means that all Democrats, Independents and 4 Republicans must vote against the candidate (Collins and Murkowski have already said they will vote NO). If there is a tie, the VP casts the deciding vote.
Here’s what you can do:
—Target vulnerable Republican Senators: CALL 202 224 3121 and ask to be connected to Susan Collins (ME), Cory Gardner (CO), Martha McSally (AZ), Thom Tillis (NC). Tell them you will aggressively support their opponent until they commit to voting against any appointee until after the election.
—Volunteer and donate to these campaigns to help flip the Senate: Sara Gideon (ME), John Hickenlooper (CO), Mark Kelly (AZ), Cal Cunningham (NC), Jon Ossoff (GA), Jaime Harrison (SC) and Steve Bullock (MT).
Art @shegotthepink
Anyone who tells you their vote doesn’t matter is doing exactly what the system wants them to do. Why else would the system work so hard to suppress the vote? But how we engage with potential voters over the next few weeks also matters. Shaming people doesn’t turn out the vote. But when you really listen, what you will often hear isn’t simply 'my vote doesn’t matter’, it’s ‘I don’t matter’. And it’s no wonder we feel insignificant. We’re steeped in a culture that is constantly telling us we’re not good enough and then profits off of our insecurity. Essential to democratic process is our belief that our voices and votes matter, that we matter in this process. And yes, it’s true that the system is rigged and we need bold democratic reforms (including reinstating the Voting Rights Act, abolishing the Electoral College, ending gerrymandering, ensuring elections are well funded and protected). But transforming our democracy is only possible when we have the full participation of the people. Our responsibility is not just to participate, but to ensure that everyone is represented in this process. And that means going to get our people, having courageous conversations and defending our votes and our communities. Here’s some myth busting tips on how to navigate conversations with people who don’t believe their vote matters. And send them this video by Rapper YelloPain.
Art @kindredinkdesigns
SWAG ALERT!!!! We’ve partnered up with Be Love on a VOTE collection featuring cool hats and apparel so that you can wear your activism and inspire others to turn out the vote (proceeds go to CTZNWELL).
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